New striker - contenders

[TylerB]

There were plenty of games where Dodds offered next to nothing. Out of all of the players that went elsewhere in the summer he's probably the one that I would have liked to have stayed, but let's not make out that he was better than he actually was. That said, the closest we have to him at the moment is probably Perreira, but as of yet he hasn't been given the chance to prove whether he can replace Dodds properly or not.

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

As I've said Karl I fully understand Smurfs approach this Season via PR. The bloke was slated for being negative when he said players wages would be slashed. Even women were calling him a fat and fat , via Twitter when Duffy left. So can understand him suddenly trying build the positivity by saying the budget would be increased too £2.5mil, even if as now appears it's actually been cut.

Likewise I can understand why the budget would be cut, last Seasons crowds were not thousands much higher than Crewe. However this is the thing for me, Burton are now getting a reported £7mil in the Championship off Sky, surely he would have more chance of getting his investment back in the championship, rather than L1.

Likewise he was rightly disappointed with the crowds last Season, however it's a vicious circle. Will crowds suddenly increase with the signing of unproven kids. No in fact there is more chance of me doing free taxis. Lol. However sign someone like Le Fondre and he suddenly get interest back in the club, and the increase will help to cover his wages.

Finally he talks about plan b if we arn't in the top 6. Sorry Norman but that's totally unfair on Bruno. Sheff U and Charlton can blow us out of the water with budgets. Millwall, Bradford, Coventry, Bolton bigger clubs than Vale. Southend and Gills it appears can outbid us for Players. Yes Burton did it last Season, but how often does that happen. End of the day, you want Championship football, well sorry but it takes quality signings not unproven youngsters. 1 or 2 kids yes, but then the spine of the team needs quality that costs money.

We don't know what plan b is though, it may include Bruno. We can't presume either way.

[pvfc.pride.england]

i did say myself i would of liked dodds to stay, for dodds in my eyes playing for vale was a bit more, for me i would say he liked being at port vale and living in this area and was really settled, people were disappointed because he, i suppose didnt score all that many, what you need to remember is that his natural posistion is actually a midfielder, he worked to build up his name around the years he spent at vale, he got better with age, when i went to watch england vs turkey at the etihad this year i got talking to some shrews fans and they said dodds was our best player and weve been linked with him and would love to sign him, plus his attitude didnt seem to stink, i never saw or heard of dodds chucking his toys out the pram, he just got on with it.

[Andyregs]

 

EDIT - Not to mention the amount of times he was played out of position.

 

Ah that old chestnut. He came to us as a left midfielder. The season before he signed for us, he spent the season on loan for Lincoln where he played wide midfielder. A few seasons ago he was interviewed on radio stoke and actually said his position was left midfield. You may think he plays better elsewhere, but he hasn't been played out of position. It's just an excuse for people when he went missing. I'll agree it's a positive of having him onto the books that he is versatile and despite my criticisms of him, it's the reasons I would have kept this season. But the idea that he was played out of position is just nonsense.

[Phil]

Not sure if it has already been mentioned, but no point in getting another kid on loan. Carlisle signed Shaun Miller, surely a better bet than probably all of our strikers. And that is a League Two club.

[pvfc.pride.england]

Ah that old chestnut. He came to us as a left midfielder. The season before he signed for us, he spent the season on loan for Lincoln where he played wide midfielder. A few seasons ago he was interviewed on radio stoke and actually said his position was left midfield. You may think he plays better elsewhere, but he hasn't been played out of position. It's just an excuse for people when he went missing. I'll agree it's a positive of having him onto the books that he is versatile and despite my criticisms of him, it's the reasons I would have kept this season. But the idea that he was played out of position is just nonsense.

 

sometimes it's not an old chestnut, you have to in a way, if you get what i mean mate look at it as a job.

i work in a factory, when im on the same job majority of the time, im conmfortable with it and probably perform best there, but when im moved ive got to get use to something different and in a sense feel out of posistion, maybe he was sometimes played out of pos? although potentially a footballer does earn enough money to have to play in another posistion now and again, but i think dodds was one of them players where it took a while to find one of them posistions perhaps?

[Andyregs]

It's jones from brum.

[Andyregs]

sometimes it's not an old chestnut, you have to in a way, if you get what i mean mate look at it as a job.

i work in a factory, when im on the same job majority of the time, im conmfortable with it and probably perform best there, but when im moved ive got to get use to something different and in a sense feel out of posistion, maybe he was sometimes played out of pos? although potentially a footballer does earn enough money to have to play in another posistion now and again, but i think dodds was one of them players where it took a while to find one of them posistions perhaps?

 

But when people say he was played constantly out of position, it was because he was played out wide. However, when we signed him, that was where he had consistently been played. He then consistently played there for us and stated that as his position a few years later. He wasn't played out of position.

[inner sanctum]

Alex Jones it is then. He may be prolific at this level. We don't know until he plays but I still can't get my head around Smurf saying we'd be getting a proven player in and he is about as unproven as you can get

[carpetman123]

Nobody has seen him play yet!!! Give the lad a chance welcome to the club Alex

[AlienTitWrench]

How many unknown strikers do we have on the books now? Are we just gambling that one of them might be decent?

 

 

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[Jinkin John Jeffers]

Alex Jones it is then. He may be prolific at this level. We don't know until he plays but I still can't get my head around Smurf saying we'd be getting a proven player in and he is about as unproven as you can get

 

1 of 4 signings on loan until January, probably costing us little if anything and a good link with a good club with a good manager. Welcome Alex, don't listen to the moaners they will have you slitting your wrists before you kick a ball

[Bea Smith]

Yes, welcome to Alex and good wishes for a happy and successful time at Vale Park.

May you do for us what another striker called A Jones did a while ago, he was also unproven and didn't cause much of a stir when first signed - that changed somewhat rapidly I believe.

[valiant_593]

Welcome Alex. Brum fans seem to rate him. Shall we actually back a player this time before he's even kicked a ball? Also **** off those of you moaning at smurf again 'empty promises' ********. He said we would sign someone today and we have. Cheer up.

[Inny]

Im confused. Jones may be fantastic but he is another unknown at this level. Is Smurf still looking for a proven goal scorer?